TPH to Open Multi-Sport Academy in Central Iowa for 23-24 School Year
The Sports Campus at Norwalk Central
TPH is thrilled to announce the opening of a holistic multi-sport Academy in the Central Iowa region. Temporarily located at Sportsplex West in Waukee, TPH Academy Des Moines will be permanently housed at the state-of-the-art Sports Campus at Norwalk once the brand-new facility opens its doors in early 2024. The Sports Campus, powered by Sportsplex, will feature multiple courts, fields, and turf setups, as well as a sports performance training center, a 3,000-square-foot TPH Academy classroom, and an on-site restaurant to fuel student-athletes.
The Sports Campus at Norwalk Central
Open to student-athletes in grades 6-12, TPH’s Des Moines-based Academy will not include a hockey experience in year one. Instead, TPH will appeal to student-athletes from various field, turf, and court sports, who have the desire to train for their sport, receive a completely individualized, customized, NCAA-accredited education, and gain the tools necessary to develop and advance as impact players, in sport, school, and life. The best part being that student-athletes will have the opportunity to attend TPH Academy while remaining active members of their scholastic and club sports teams, if they choose.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring our Study, Train, and Play TPH Academy experience to student-athletes in Central Iowa, regardless of what sports team they play for,” said TPH CEO Alan Keeso. “TPH Academy is a vehicle that, during traditional school hours, provides extra training time the most dedicated of athletes desire. From 8 AM to 4 PM each day, TPH Academy attendees will get two hours of sport-specific training and will study in a blended learning environment tailored to student-athletes who are striving to pursue their sport, academic, and life goals all at once. Along the way, TPH Des Moines student-athletes will gain experiences that prepare them for success in the ultimate game- the game of life.”
TPH Academy Blended Learning Environment
TPH Academy’s blended learning environment appeals to the student-athlete of 2023. Students study on an academic platform that is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from any location. TPH Academy student-athletes interact with their course instructors virtually, are assigned appropriate core courses, and have a wide range of elective, AP, Honors, and foreign language courses to choose from. Each day, TPH Academy student-athletes study under the direction of an on-site academic leadership team that ensures they are on-pace or ahead in their courses.
Additionally, the TPH Academy experience is uniquely tailored to each individual student-athlete. The volume and type of training they receive, the pace at which they study, and the physical environment they study in are customized to the individual. These are some of the reasons why the TPH brand caught the eye of Patrick Yacinich, Founder of Sportsplex West and Sportsplex USA. Yacinich believes the TPH Academy experience will provide that “missing piece” Central Iowa sports families have been searching for.
TPH Academy Offers Sport-Specific Dry Land Training
“Central Iowa is filled with athletes who have a ton of passion for their sport, but don’t necessarily have the time or resources available to go that extra mile,” Yacinch said. “The TPH Academy model unlocks more time for athletes to work on their sport-specific skills, train in the weightroom, and get that extra coaching that can really make a difference. Sprinkle in the athlete-focused, cutting-edge education model, the guest speakers, the community service projects, the field trips, and the commitment TPH makes to unlocking the leader in each student-athlete, and you have a model that is arriving in Central Iowa at just the right time.”
D1 Sports Training at Sportsplex West
That extra coaching will be delivered to student-athletes through a partnership TPH has formed with Sportsplex West and D1 Sports Training. Both Sportsplex West and D1 Training’s teams of quality coaches and instructors will facilitate the “train” piece of TPH Academy’s Study, Train, and Play experience, one that is open to all student-athletes, regardless of what local scholastic or club team they play for.
“That’s what is really cool about this model – kids can still play for their high school or club team while attending the TPH Academy,” Yacinich mentioned. “This really is a best-of-all-worlds opportunity for our area’s most dedicated players. Get extra training under the direction of Sportsplex West and D1 coaches, study in TPH’s proven Academy model, gain experiences geared towards aspiring-elite athletes, grow as a person, and enjoy playing for the great scholastic and club programs we have in the area. This really is a win all around.”
To learn more about why TPH and Sportsplex West believe the TPH Academy experience is a “win” for the Central Iowa region, interested families are invited to join us at the Palms Theaters on Thursday, March 2nd from 6:30PM-8:00PM for a live info session being conducted by TPH and Sportsplex West. TPH Chief Operating Officer Francis Anzalone and TPH Executive Director Matt Cooke will be on hand to present to interested families about the TPH Academy experience. To RSVP for the event, please visit the event page here.
Learn more about the temporary Waukee facility here, and view plans for the state-of-the-art TPH Des Moines Sportsplex West campus here.
Interested families are also invited to learn more about TPH Academy by visiting the links below.
